Focus on Novel Medical Treatments

As we enter the 25^th year post the Millenium, the vast field of medical treatment is changing constantly. Revolutionary developments like advanced genomics, analysing and altering DNA to diagnose and treat diseases and develop personalised medicines (also called precision medicine) is at the forefront.

This technology is being used to treat congenital deafness in children by identifying and deleting the faulty gene, which otherwise would have been treated by a cochlear transplant. The possibility of finding treatments for all types of genetic diseases is limitless. Precision medicine will become the norm in the next decade and will help change curative medicine to preventative medicine.

The other unstoppable phenomenon is the use of Artificial Intelligence in fighting diseases. The use of AI in diagnosis and treatment, search machines, information gathering, virtual assistants, chatbots, patient triaging, use in rare disease algorithms, the list is never ending. Added to these, modern technology like robotic surgery, targeted cancer therapy where drugs are designed to attack specific mutations in tumours to reduce their ability to grow and spread, and a radical new technology currently being trialled to treat type 1 diabetes genetically so that patients produce their own insulin.

The use of neuralink, a computer chip inserted into the brain to help patients with Parkinson’s disease, blindness and other motor neurone diseases, to control movements and communicate with computers, is a fascinating technology that crosses frontiers of human behaviour. But there is a cautionary tale here, how much do we push technology so that the virtual world resembles the real world?

Organ transplant is another field that is making rapid strides. Stem cell engineering to make lab-based organs, and pioneering animal-based organ transplants, may provide a genuine source of organs to help the waiting list for patients awaiting organ donation. 

Technology like 3D printing, to print tools and devices, including surgical instruments, orthopaedic tools, dental implants, and prosthetics is exciting and is already making it’s mark in many areas of healthcare. Revolutionary research in 3D-printed organs for transplant using biological tissue taken from the patient's body is a major field of study.

The use of virtual reality (VR) has been shown to be effective in helping patients manage long-term chronic pain. It is effective and with fewer side effects than traditional analgesia dependent pain management, leading to improved quality of life for patients. Augmented reality (AR) is helpful in wound care management, where it enables non-invasive assessment of the severity, healing status, and best treatment options for a patient's wound.

Telemedicine and virtual wards, for treatment of patients, in their homes with use of smart monitors that check important physical parameters, and virtual consultations, are already transforming healthcare treatments across the world.

Though the use of technology is paramount for a good healthcare system, it is still of utmost importance for all of us to be personally invested in our own health, physically and mentally and consulting with our GP when needed.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2025!

Dr Suparna Behura FRCGP
Partner and Trainer

Monday-Friday – 8.00am-6.30pm
Tel – 01926 857331
www.castlemedicalcentre.co.uk
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22 Bertie Road, Kenilworth, CV8 1JP